Strip method

ABSTRACT

A wire from each of two communication cables to be spliced is inserted into a tang connector, which has a stiff plate above and below the connector. The tanged connector is one of many in a block. The connectors, each containing wire, are crimped by forcing each connector into a tapered hole, the plurality of tapered holes being located in a crimp block. After crimping the connectors, the excess wire is cut off by a cutter in a slot in the crimp block. The crimp block is left permanently attached to the connectors in the completed splice. The holes in the crimp block extend through the crimp block leaving the end of each connector exposed for future connections. A square pin extending from one of the stiff plates provides a pin for making a future connection.

[ Feb. 5, 1974 STRIP METHOD [76] Inventor: Jimmy C. Ray, Rt. 2, Box 28-D,

Denison, Tex. 75020 22 Filed: 0ct.28,1968

21 Appl. No.: 770,958

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 702,375, Feb. 1,

1968, Pat. No. 3,551,803.

[52] 11.8. C1. 339/95 R, 339/273 R [51] Int. Cl H01! 9/08 [58] Field of Search 339/95, 97-99,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,183,472 5/1965 Paul 339/97 P 1,956,842 5/1934 Welch 339/191 A 2,470,423 5/1949 Alford 174/84 2,978,667 4/1961 Watts 339/95 R 3,027,536 3/1962 Pasternak 339/97 3,088,086 4/1963 Crimmins 339/17 F 3,201,744 8/1965 Dean 339/97 P 3,265,807 8/1966 Smith 174/87 3,283,061 ll/l966 Bolling 174/87 3,316,521 4/1967 Fletcher, Jr. et a1 339/21 R 3,355,698 11/1967 Keller 339/97 C Primary Examiner-loseph H. McGlynn Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wendell Coffee [57] ABSTRACT A wire from each of two communication cables to be spliced is inserted into a tang connector, which has a stiff plate above and below the connector. The tanged connector is one of many in a block. The connectors, each containing wire, are crimped by forcing each connector into a tapered hole, the plurality of tapered holes being located in a crimp block. After crimping the connectors, the excess wire is cut off by a cutter in a slot in the crimp block. The crimp block is left permanently attached to the connectors in the completed splice. The holes in the crimp block extend through the crimp block leaving the end of each connector exposed for future connections. A square pin extending from one of the stiff plates provides a pin for making a future connection.

19 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures STRIP METHOD CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS My three patent applications listed below are related to the same subject matter. This application is a continuation-in-part of the application Ser. No. 702,375, filed Feb. 1, 1968 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,803.

Title Ser. No. Filing Date Group SPLICER 525,506 Feb. 7, I966 323 CONNECTORS FOR WIRES 682,364 Nov. I3, 1967 353 GROUP SPLICING 702,375 Feb. I, 1968 353 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to electrical connections and more particularly to splicing cables carrying communi cation signals.

2. Description of the Prior Art At the present time many communication cables-- such as telephone cables-are installed underground in conduits. When putting the cable in conduit, a lead wire is put into the conduit and then the cable is at tached to the lead wire and pulled through the conduit. After the cable is in the conduit, the ends of the cable are spliced together at connection points in manholes.

It is commercial practice today to splice two insulated wires by inserting the wires into a tanged cup shaped connector and crimping the connector onto the wire, the tangs piercing the insulation and making contact with'the metal within the insulation. E.g., embodiments of US. Pat. No. 3,064,072 are commercially on the market. The crimping is done by side force upon the walls of the connector as by squeezing with plierlike mechanism.

Also, it is known that cables be connected by providing one with a plurality of male prongs and the other with a plurality of female sockets, plugging one into the other.

It is recognized as acceptable practice to make a connection by wrapping bare wire around a square plug.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By this invention, I provide a simple means and method of splicing cable, which is advantageous if the splice is never disturbed, however, it has many additional advantages in that at a later date the splice itself acts as a plug connection whereby a test set can be plugged into the splice, or another cable plugged into the splice.

This is accomplished by having a plurality of tanged connectors mounted into a block so the wires may be inserted into the connectors and the connectors crimped with the tangs piercing the insulation and making contact with the wire inside. The connectors are crimped by forcing the connectors of the connector block into a crimping block which has tapered holes for each of the connectors. The connectors are generally made of thin metal so that the tangs are sharp and, also, so that they are easily crimped. A stiffening plate has been put on the two flat sides of the connector so that they operate better in the tapered holes of the crimping block.

A square spike or pin of metal, extending from one of the stiffening plates of the connector, is normally enclosed in the crimping block. However, if it is necessary to make an electrical connection later, a bridge adapter having a helical coil for each of the spikes may be plugged into the end of the crimping block.

Also, this invention is adaptable for assembly at a factory or a centrally located place rather than in manholes. The crimp blocks and connector blocks are long and narrow so that their dimensions are no greater than the cable to which they connect. Therefore, one wire may be placed in each connector and the connectors crimped so that the connector block forms a plug. Then the assembled cable with the connectors already installed is still of proper dimensions to be pulled through the conduit and then the cables plugged together to complete the installation. Of course, general practice requires that the connection be taped so that it is air tight to prevent deterioration.

An object of this invention is to splice communication cables.

Another object is to provide a plug on the end of a cable so that another cable may be plugged thereto.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is lightweight, sturdy, compact, durable, simple, safe, versatile, efficient, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, operate and main tain.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a method that is rapid, efficient, inexpensive and does not require skilled people to install, adjust, operate and maintain. I

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, may clearly appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is an exploded perspective view of the connector block and the crimp block, partially broken away to show details of construction.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a connector with its associated still plates and pin.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the assembled connector block and crimp block with the wires as would be inserted in the upper connector.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an assembled connector block and crimp block with the connectors crimped to the wires and showing the top wires in the process of being cut.

FIG. 5 shows a completed and assembled connector and crimp block with a showing of the subsequent attachment to it by helical springs.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a single connector with the wires therein before crimping.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a connector with the wires therein before connecting.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a cutter adapted to be used to cut the wires.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cable with two connector assemblies attached thereto.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view ofa connector assembly only partially utilizing its connectors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Connector 10, according to this invention, is sleeve shaped with a cavity and is open at both ends. There are a plurality of tangs l2 struck from it, the tangs having sharp points on the interior of the connector for piercing the insulation and making good contact with the wire 4 when the connection is completed. The connector itself is made of thin metal and is basically wider than it is high, i.e., it has a flat top 16 and bottom 18.

Inasmuch as connector 10 is made of thin metal, top stiff plate 20 is placed on the top 16 of the connector to reinforce it and a bottom stiff plate 22 is placed on the bottom 18 of the connector to stiffen and reinforce it. The pin or spike 24 is rectangular and is electrically attached, as by soldering, to the bottom 18 of connector 10. It has a portion which extends forward from the end of the connector beyond the open end thereof. The pin 24 is of conductive material and has sharp edges on the corners. The bottom stiff plate 22 has an elongated slot or-notch 26 into which the pin 24 fits upon assembly.

The connector block 28 is an elongated rectangular member which has fifty holes 30 therethrough arranged in two rows thus forming connections for pairs of wire. As may be seen, the holes from the outside or face side 32 are of smaller diameter than on the inside of contact side 34. Thus the shoulder 36 is formed about midway of connector block 28. A connector 10 with plates 20 and 22 is placed in each of the holes with the end of the connector 10 and the ends of the stiffening plates 20 and 22 abutting against the shoulder 36. The pin 24 extends forward and is on the center line side of each hole 30.

Crimp block 38 has a tapered hole 40 for each connector 10. The tapered hole, plus the portion of the hole 30 in the connector block, is equal to the length of the connector 10 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The tapered holes are open on the contact side 42 or contact face of the crimp block 38. Bore 44 opens into each of the tapered holes 40 and it opens from the plug side 46 of the crimp block 38. The crimp block 38 and connector block 28 are made of insulated materials.

Between the tapered hole 40 and the bore 77 from the top 48 of the crimp block 38 is knife slot 50. This knife slot is for the blade of knife 52 which is seen in FIG. 8. The knife includes a handle 54 which has bifurcated arm 56 which connects to the center of the circular blade 52.

The top and bottom of crimp block 38 also has a notch 58 running parallel and adjacent to contact side 42. Also there is a parallel notch 60 on top and bottom between the notch 58 and the knife slot 50, all being parallel.

The connector block 28 has an upper and lower flange 62 and lip 64 is on the extreme end of the flange 62.

At the beginning of operation, the assembly 70 will have the lip 64 in the first notch 58 and therefore each of the connectors 10 will be partially inserted in the tapered holes 40. This is the position as seen in FIG. 3. Then the operator will place one or two wires into each connector 10 which will permit the wires to extend into the bore 44. When the wires have all been inserted, the connector block and crimp block will be forced together so that the lip 64 fits into the crimp notch 60 as seen in FIG. 4. At this time the connector 10 extends the full length and the end of connector 10 is flush with the end of the tapered hole 40 which is also flush with one edge of the knife slot 50. When the connector 10 is forced into the tapered hole 40 of the crimp block, the stiff plates 20 and 22 transform the sliding, frictional movement into crimping pressure. Therefore, the stiff plates 20 and 22 may be made of nylon or other synthetic plastic.

At this time the knife blade 52 can be inserted in the knife slot 50 and the wires cut by the movement of the knife along the slot 50. This operation is shown in FIG. 4. The bottom stiff plate 22 extends beyond the end of the connector 10 and into the knife slot 50 thus forming a cutting board or bread board. Thus the wires 14 are cut between the blade 52 and the cutting board of the plate 22 and pin 24.

If two wires are inserted into each connector, these two wires will be connected and, therefore, if there are 25 pairs with two Wires in each connector, the splice of the two 25 pair cables shall be completed except for protecting it from moisture and atmospheric conditions. Such a completed assembly is substantially illustrated in FIG. 10.

However, if only one wire is connected and it is desired to use the connector assembly 70 as a plug, or if it is desirable to test the cables, as more fully described in my patent application identified above, connection can be made by using a spring block 66 (FIG. 5). The spring block would have fifty helical springs 68 extending through it with one spring oriented to insert into each of the bores 44 telescoped over the pin 24. The inside diameter of the helical spring 68 is less than the dimensions of the pin 24 across corners and, therefore, the sharp edges of the square pin 24 will cut into the spring 68 forming a good connection. Also, each portion of the spring 68 will be strained so that it continues to exert pressure and tension regardless of thermol expansion or contraction, thereby always providing a good connection.

FIG. 9 illustrates a fifty pair cable 72 with 25 pair connected to the assembly 70 and the other 25 pair connected to a second assembly 70. The width and thickness of the assemblies 70 are less than the thickness of the cable 72; therefore the cable with the assemblies 70 attached as plugs may be pulled through a conduit.

It is noted that the pins 24 are completely recessed within the bores 44 of the crimp block 38. Therefore, when the connector assemblies 70 are factory preplaced on the cable 72, the pins 24 are protected from damage during shipping, storage and pulling through the conduit. Furthermore, if the assembly 70 is used as a two wore connector (FIG. 10, the pins 24 are protected by being recessed and the assembly is readily wrapped.

The embodiments shown and described above are only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection aremeasured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be,

but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A connector for splicing insulated communication wire comprising:

a. a sleeve-shaped tanged connector having a cavity,

b. said connector open at both ends,

c. a plurality of tangs extending from the connector into the cavity, and

cl. stiff plates above and below the connector,

e. so that the connector may be forced into a tapered hole with the plates transforming the sliding frictional movement into crimping pressure,

f. said stiff plates including a pin of conducting material having i. sharp longitudinal edges ii. extending beyond the end of the connector,

whereby another connection may be made to the tanged connector by use of the pin.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitation of h. a connector block of insulated material,

j. a plurality of said tanged connectors on the connector block, and

k. means associated with said connector block for crimping all the tanged connectors.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein means for crimping includes m. a crimp block having i. a plurality of tapered holes from one side,

ii. a plurality of matching bores from the opposite side,

iii. each bore interconnecting with a correlative hole, and

iv. a knife slot from the top between all of the holes and bores,

n. one of said tanged connectors in each tapered hole with i. said pin extending into a correlative bore, and

with ii. at least one wire extending into the bore on the knife slot side of the pin,

0. so that a cutter knife slot may cut the wire.

4. A connector for splicing insulated communication wire comprising:

a. a sleeve-shaped tanged connector having a cavity,

b. said connector open at both ends,

c. a plurality of tangs extending from the connector into the cavity, and

d. stiff plates above and below the connector,

e. so that the connector may be forced into a tapered hole with the plates transforming the sliding frictional movement into crimping pressure,

f. a connector block of insulated material,

g. a plurality of said tanged connectors on the connector block, and

h. means associated with said connector block for crimping all the tanged connectors, wherein the means for crimping includes j. a crimp block having i. a plurality of tapered holes from one side,

ii. a knife slot from the top,

k. one of said tanged connectors in each hole with i. at least one wire extending beyond the end of the connector ii. and beyond the knife slot, m. so that a cutter in the knife slot may cut the wire.

5. A connector strip comprising in combination: a. a crimp block having i. a plurality of tapered holes from one side, ii. a plurality of matching bores from the opposite side, iii. each bore interconnecting with a correlative tapered hole, and iv. a knife slot from the top between all of the holes and bores, b. a tanged connector in each tapered hole having i. at least one wire ii. extending into the bore, c. so that a cutter in the knife slot may cut the wire.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitation of d. a stiff plate on one side the connector for transferring sliding, frictional movement into crimping pressure, and e. the stiff plate extending beyond the connector for forming a cutting board under the slot. 7. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitation of d. a pin electrically connected to the connector and extending into said bore for future connections. 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 with the additional limitation of e. a stiff plate on one side the connector for transfer ring sliding, frictional movement into crimping pressure, and f. the stiff plate extending beyond the connector for forming a cutting board under the slot. 9. A connector for splicing insulated communication wire comprising:

a. a tanged connector having a cavity, b. a plurality of tangs extending from the connector into the cavity, c. a crimp block having a thickness equal to at least the length of said tanged connector, d. a tapered hole in the crimp block, e. said connector at least partially in the tapered hole,

f. said hole having a width less than the width of the tanged connector before use,

g. adapted for at least one wire to be inserted in the cavity of the connector and the connector pressed within the hole in the crimp block so that tangs of the tanged connector pierce the insulation and penetrate into the metal of the wire,

h. a connector block of insulating material,

j. a plurality of said tanged connectors on the connector block and k. said crimp block having a correlative hole for every tanged connector,

m. said crimp block also made of insulating material.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitation of n. cutter means operable at the end of the tanged connector for severing the wire with the tanged connector pressed within the hole.

11. In a cable having a. a plurality of wires b. each wire individually insulated;

c. the improvement in combination with the above comprising:

d. at least one connector assembly,

e. the cable being thicker than the connector assembly is thick or wide so that the connector assembly will slide through any conduit the cable will slide through, and

f. a plurality of pins,

g. each pin recessed into the connector assembly so that it is protected from damage,

h. each pin connected to a wire of the cable, and

j. each pin forming a means for conductivity connecting its wire to a further conductor, and

k. a crimp block having a plurality of tapered holes,

in. a tanged connector in each hole,

11. one of said pins extending from each tanged connector.

12. The invention as defined in claim 11 with the additional limitations of o. more than one connector assembly,

p. each connector assembly having fewer pins than the wires of the cable.

13. A connector assembly for connecting the wires of two cables together comprising:

ditional limitation of f. cutter means operatively associated with the connectors for cutting the wires.

15. In a cable having a. a plurality of wires,

b. each wire individually insulated;

c. the improvement in combination with the above comprising:

d. at least one connector assembly having e. a plurality of connectors therein,

f. each of said connectors being means for electrically connecting itself to a wire by piercing the insulation and by making good contact with said wire,

g. means operatively associated with the assembly for simultaneously piercing the insulation of all the wires and connecting each connector to its wire,

h. each of said wires in the cable so connected to one of said connectors,

j. tap means on each connector for making electrical contact with the connector from outside the assemy.

k. two of said cables,

in. each having a plurality of wires, and

n. a wire from each cable to each connector.

16. The invention as defined in claim 15 with the additional limitation of o. cutter means operatively associated with the connectors for cutting the wires.

17. The method of splicing communication cables made up of individually insulated wires comprising the steps of:

a. placing a plurality of connectors on a block,

b. placing a wire from each of the cables in each connector,

c. placing a crimp block in operative relationship to the connector block,

(I. forcing the blocks together thereby e. piercing the insulation of each of the wires by its connector, and

f. making good contact between the wires and connector.

18. The invention as defined in claim 17 with the additional limitation of g. after the connection is complete, tapping into the connector with another conductor.

19. The invention as defined in claim 17 with the additional limitation of g. cutting the wires after they have been connected to the connector. 

1. A connector for splicing insulated communication wire comprising: a. a sleeve-shaped tanged connector having a cavity, b. said connector open at both ends, c. a plurality of tangs extending from the connector into the cavity, and d. stiff plates above and below the connector, e. so that the connector may be forced into a tapered hole with the plates transforming the sliding frictional movement into crimping pressure, f. said stiff plates including a pin of conducting material having i. sharp longitudinal edges ii. extending beyond the end of the connector, whereby another connection may be made to the tanged connector by use of the pin.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitation of h. a connector block of insulated material, j. a plurality of said tanged connectors on the connector block, and k. means associated with said connector block for crimping all the tanged connectors.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein means for crimping includes m. a crimp block having i. a plurality of tapered holes from one side, ii. a plurality of matching bores from the opposite side, iii. each bore interconnecting with a correlative hole, and iv. a knife slot from the top between all of the holes and bores, n. one of said tanged connectors in each tapered hole with i. said pin extending into a correlative bore, and with ii. at least one wire extending into the bore on the knife slot side of the pin, o. so that a cutter knife slot may cut the wire.
 4. A connector for splicing insulated communication wire comprising: a. a sleeve-shaped tanged connector having a cavity, b. said connector open at both ends, c. a plurality of tangs extending from the connector into the cavity, and d. stiff plates above and below the connector, e. so that the connector may be forced into a tapered hole with the plates transforming the sliding frictional movement into crimping pressure, f. a connector block of insulated material, g. a plurality of said tanged connectors on the connector block, and h. means associated with said connector block for crimping all the tanged connectors, wherein the means for crimping includes j. a crimp block having i. a plurality of tapered holes from one side, ii. a knife slot from the top, k. one of said tanged connectors in each hole with i. at least one wire extending beyond the end of the connector ii. and beyond the knife slot, m. so that a cutter in the knife slot may cut the wire.
 5. A connector strip comprising in combination: a. a crimp block having i. a plurality of tapered holes from one side, ii. a plurality of matching bores from the opposite side, iii. each bore interconnecting with a correlative tapered hole, and iv. a knife slot from the top between all of the holes and bores, b. a tanged connector in each tapered hole having i. at least one wire ii. extending into the bore, c. so that a cutter in the knife slot may cut the wire.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitation of d. a stiff plate on one side the connector for transferring sliding, frictional movement into crimping pressure, and e. the stiff plate extending beyond the connector for forming a cutting board under the slot.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 5 with the additional limitation of d. a pin electrically connected to the connector and extending into said bore for future connections.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 with the additional limitation of e. a stiff plate on one side the connector for transferring sliding, frictional movement into crimping pressure, and f. the stiff plate extending beyond the connector for forming a cutting board under the slot.
 9. A connector for splicing insulated communication wire comprising: a. a tanged connector having a cavity, b. a plurality of tangs extending from the connector into the cavity, c. a crimp block having a thickness equal to at least the length of said tanged connector, d. a tapered hole in the crimp block, e. said connector at least partially in the tapered hole, f. said hole having a width less than the width of the tanged connector before use, g. adapted for at least one wire to be inserted in the cavity of the connector and the connector pressed within the hole in the crimp block so that tangs of the tanged connector pierce the insulation and penetrate into the metal of the wire, h. a connector block of insulating material, j. a plurality of said tanged connectors on the connector block and k. said crimp block having a correlative hole for every tanged connector, m. said crimp block also made of insulating material.
 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 with the additional limitation of n. cutter means operable at the end of the tanged connector for severing the wire with the tanged connector pressed within the hole.
 11. In a cable having a. a plurality of wires b. each wire individually insulated; c. the improvement in combination with the above comprising: d. at least one connector assembly, e. the cable being thicker than the connector assembly is thick or wide so that the connector assembly will slide through any conduit the cable will slide through, and f. a plurality of pins, g. each pin recessed into the connector assembly so that it is protected from damage, h. each pin connected to a wIre of the cable, and j. each pin forming a means for conductivity connecting its wire to a further conductor, and k. a crimp block having a plurality of tapered holes, m. a tanged connector in each hole, n. one of said pins extending from each tanged connector.
 12. The invention as defined in claim 11 with the additional limitations of o. more than one connector assembly, p. each connector assembly having fewer pins than the wires of the cable.
 13. A connector assembly for connecting the wires of two cables together comprising: a. at least two blocks, b. a plurality of connectors attached to one of said blocks, c. each of said connectors being means for electrically connecting itself to wires from the cables by piercing the insulation of the wires and by making good contact with the wires, d. said blocks being means for connecting the connectors to the wires by pressing the blocks together, and e. tap means on each connector for making electrical contact with the connector from outside the assembly.
 14. The invention as defined in claim 13 with the additional limitation of f. cutter means operatively associated with the connectors for cutting the wires.
 15. In a cable having a. a plurality of wires, b. each wire individually insulated; c. the improvement in combination with the above comprising: d. at least one connector assembly having e. a plurality of connectors therein, f. each of said connectors being means for electrically connecting itself to a wire by piercing the insulation and by making good contact with said wire, g. means operatively associated with the assembly for simultaneously piercing the insulation of all the wires and connecting each connector to its wire, h. each of said wires in the cable so connected to one of said connectors, j. tap means on each connector for making electrical contact with the connector from outside the assembly, k. two of said cables, m. each having a plurality of wires, and n. a wire from each cable to each connector.
 16. The invention as defined in claim 15 with the additional limitation of o. cutter means operatively associated with the connectors for cutting the wires.
 17. The method of splicing communication cables made up of individually insulated wires comprising the steps of: a. placing a plurality of connectors on a block, b. placing a wire from each of the cables in each connector, c. placing a crimp block in operative relationship to the connector block, d. forcing the blocks together thereby e. piercing the insulation of each of the wires by its connector, and f. making good contact between the wires and connector.
 18. The invention as defined in claim 17 with the additional limitation of g. after the connection is complete, tapping into the connector with another conductor.
 19. The invention as defined in claim 17 with the additional limitation of g. cutting the wires after they have been connected to the connector. 